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Comeback Craig?

Midfielder in with a shout of returning to action against Forest tomorrow.

We’ll leave it right up until Saturday morning with Craig."

Nigel Clough

Craig Bryson will be given until the ‘last possible minute’ to prove his fitness for Derby County’s local derby encounter with Nottingham Forest this weekend.

The Scottish midfielder has missed Derby’s last four matches with a knee problem, which was originally sustained back in November.

He played through the pain barrier during three matches in December, but in order to make a full recovery he has had to sit out the recent games against Charlton Athletic, Middlesbrough, Tranmere Rovers and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Last season’s Player of the Year could make a welcome return to the squad against Forest at Pride Park tomorrow (1pm kick-off) after he stepped up his return to action by taking part in training earlier this week.

Clough said: “We’ll leave it right up until Saturday morning with Craig.

“Maybe if it was a ‘normal’ game we wouldn’t risk him, but given the nature of this one we’ll see if we can get him out on the pitch.

“He’s done a bit of training this week and we’ll see how he reacts to it before making a decision.”

Bryson, who joined Derby in the summer of 2011 from Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock, scored Derby’s winner against Forest at the City Ground in September.